按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The younger man had the physical makeup of the older； though of a
slighter mould。 They had the same high； proud look of conscious
strength； of cool fearlessness that nothing could fluster。 But the
soul that looked out of the grey eyes of the son was quite another
from that which looked out of the deep blue eyes of the father
yet； after all； the difference may not have been in essence but
only that the older man's soul had learned in life's experience to
look out only through a veil。
The soul of the youth was eager； adventurous； still believing； yet
with a certain questioning and a touch of weariness； a result of
the aftermath of peace following three years of war。 There was
still； however； the out…looking for far horizons； the outreaching
imagination； the Heaven given expectation of the Infinite。 In the
older man's eye dwelt chiefly reserve。 The veil was always there
except when he found it wise and useful to draw it aside。 If ever
the inner light flamed forth it was when the man so chose。 Self…
mastery； shrewdness； power； knowledge； lay in the dark blue eyes；
and all at the soul's command。
But to…night as the father's eyes rested upon his son who stood
gazing into and through the blazing fire there were to be seen only
pride and wistful love。 But as the son turned his eyes toward his
father the veil fell and the eyes that answered were quiet； shrewd；
keen and chiefly kind。
The talk had passed beyond the commonplace of the day's doings。
They were among the big things； the fateful thingLife and Its
Worth； Work and Its Wages； Creative Industry and Its Product；
Capital and Its Price； Man and His Rights。
They were frank with each other。 The war had done that for them。
For ever since the night when his eighteen…year…old boy had walked
into his den and said； 〃Father； I am eighteen；〃 and stood looking
into his eyes and waiting for the word that came straight and
unhesitating； 〃I know； boy； you are my son and you must go； for I
cannot；〃 ever since that night； which seemed now to belong to
another age； these two had faced each other as men。 Now they were
talking about the young man's life work。
〃Frankly； I don't like it； Dad；〃 said the son。
〃Easy to see that； Jack。〃
〃I'm really sorry。 I'm afraid anyone can see it。 But somehow I
can't put much pep into it。〃
〃Why？〃 asked the father； with curt abruptness。
〃Why？ Well； I hardly know。 Somehow it hardly seems worth while。
It is not the grind of the office； though that is considerable。 I
could stick that； but； after all； what's the use？〃
〃What would you rather do； Jack？〃 enquired his father patiently； as
if talking to a child。 〃You tried for the medical profession； you
know； and〃
〃I know； I know； you are quite right about it。 You may think it
pure laziness。 Maybe it is； but I hardly think so。 Perhaps I went
back to lectures too soon after the war。 I was hardly fit； I
guess； and the whole thing； the inside life； the infernal grind of
lectures； the idiotic serious mummery of the youngsters； those
blessed kids who should have been spanked by their mothersthe
whole thing sickened me in three months。 If I had waited perhaps I
might have done better at the thing。 I don't knowhard to tell。〃
The boy paused； looking into the fire。
〃It was my fault； boy；〃 said the father hastily。 〃I ought to have
figured the thing out differently。 But； you see； I had no
knowledge of what you had gone through and of its effect upon you。
I know better now。 I thought that the harder you went into the
work the better it would be for you。 I made a mistake。〃
〃Well； you couldn't tell； Dad。 How could you？ But everything was
so different when I came back。 Mere kids were carrying on where we
had been； and doing it well； too； by Jove； and we didn't seem to be
needed。〃
〃Needed； boy？〃 The father's voice was thick。
〃Yes； but I didn't see that then。 Selfish； I fear。 Then； you
know； home was not the same〃
The older man choked back a groan and leaned hard against the
mantel。
〃I know； Dad； I can see now I was selfish〃
〃Selfish？ Don't say that； my lad。 Selfish？ After all you had
gone through？ No； I shall never apply that word to you； but you
you don't seem to realise〃 The father hesitated a few moments；
then； as if taking a plunge：
〃You don't realise just how big a thinghow big an investment
there is in that business down there。〃 His hand swept toward the
window through which could be seen the lights of that part of the
town which clustered about the various mills and factories of which
he was owner。
〃I know there is a lot； Dad； but how much I don't know。〃
〃There's 250；000 in plant alone； boy； but there's more than money；
a lot more than money〃 Then； after a pause； as if to himself； 〃A
lot more than moneythere's brain sweat and heart agony and
prayers and tearsand； yes； life； boy； your mother's life and
mine。 We worked and saved and prayed and planned〃
He stepped quickly toward the window； drew aside the curtain and
pointed to a dark mass of headland beyond the twinkling lights。
〃You see the Bluff there。 Fifty years ago I stood with my father
on that Bluff and watched the logs come down the river to the
sawmillhis sawmill； into which he had put his total capital； five
hundred dollars。 I remember well his words； 'My son； if you live
out your life you will see on that flat a town where thousands of
men and women will find homes and； please God； happiness。' Your
mother and I watched that town grow for forty years； and we tried
to make people happyat least； if they were not it was no fault of
hers。 Of course； other hands have been at the work since then； but
her hands and mine more than any other； and more than all others
together were in it； and her heart； too； was in it all。〃
The boy turned from the window and sat down heavily in a deep
armchair； his hands covering his face。 His heart was still sick
with the ache that had smitten it that day in front of Amiens when
the Colonel； his father's friend； had sent for him and read him the
wire which had brought the terrible message of his mother's death。
The long months of days and nights heavy with watching； toiling；
praying； agonising； for her twin sons； and for the many boys who
had gone out from the little town wore out her none too robust
strength。 Then； the sniper's bullet that had pierced the heart of
her boy seemed to reach to her heart as well。 After that； the home
that once had been to its dwellers the most completely heart…
satisfying spot in all the world became a place of dread； of
haunting ghosts； of acutely poignant memories。 They used the house
for sleeping in and for eating in； but there was no living in it
longer。 To them it was a tomb； though neither would acknowledge it
and each bore with it for the other's sake。
〃Honestly； Dad； I wish I could make it go； for your sake〃
〃For my sake； boy？ Why； I have all of it I care for。 Not for my
sake。 But what else can we do but stick it？〃
〃I suppose sobut for Heaven's sake give me something worth a
man's doing。 If I could tackle a job such as you and〃the boy
winced〃you and mother took on I believe I'd try it。 But that
office！ Any fool could sit in my place and carry on。 It is like
the job they used to give to the crocks or the slackers at the base
to do。 Give me a man's job。〃
The father's keen blue eyes looked his son over。
〃A man's job？〃 he said； with a grim smile； realising as his son did
not how much of a man's job it was。 〃Suppose you learn this one as
I did？〃
〃What do you mean； Dad； exactly？ How did you begin？〃
〃I？ At the tail of the saw。〃
〃All right； I'm game。〃
〃Boy； you are rightI believe in my soul you are right。 You did a
man's job 'out there' and you have it in you to do a man's job
again。〃
The son shrugged his shoulders。 Next morning at seven they were
down at the planing mill where men were doing men's work。 He was
at a man's job； at the tail of a saw； and drawing a man's pay；
rubbing shoulders with men on equal terms； as he had in the
trenches。 And for the first time since Armistice Day； if not happy
or satisfied； he was content to carry on。
CHAPTER IV
ANNETTE
Sam Wigglesworth had finished with school； which is not quite the
same as saying that he had finished his education。 A number of
causes had combined to bring this event to pass。 First； Sam was
beyond the age of compulsory attendance at the Public School； the
School Register recording him as sixteen years old。 Then； Sam's
educational career had been anything but brilliant。 Indeed； it
might fairly be described as dull。 All his life he had been behind
his class； the biggest boy in his class； which fact might have been
to Sam a constant cause of humiliation had he not held as of the
slightest moment merely academic achievements。 One unpleasant
effect which this fact had upon Sam's moral quality was that it
tended to make him a bully。 He was physically the superior of all
in his class； and this superiority he exerted for what he deemed
the discipline of younger and weaker boys； who excelled him in
intellectual attainment。
Furthermore； Sam； while quite ready to enforce the code of
di